1. Field of the Invention
The instant application relates to a device for generating electrical power from a flowing medium, e.g., water, that includes a number of turbine generator units which, at least in places, are arranged one above the other and/or alongside one another and are connected to one another to form one or more modules. The device also includes at least two fixed-position structures which are arranged essentially alongside one another and one or more modules are arranged between the at least two fixed-position structures such that it/they can be raised and lowered. In this way, a high water level is produced upstream of the module and a low water level is produced downstream of the module. The invention also relates to a process for converting a waterway to a system for generating electrical power from a flowing medium.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Systems for generating electrical power in a waterway can be formed by inserted modules, in which a number of turbine generator units arranged one above the other and/or alongside one another at least in places and connected to one another form one or more of these modules, e.g., as is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,597 B1. In such system, it is necessary to be able to raise a module out of the waterway in order to open up the waterway completely when required (e.g., where there is a flood threat). In order to make it possible to reliably raise the module, guides, in which the module is guided during raising, are provided in the fixed-position structures of the waterway. In this manner, the position of the module is fixed in all raised positions, and the intended operating position is reached reliably, particularly during lowering.
In systems in which the upper edge of the fixed-position structures is only slightly above the maximum water level, so that the length of the guides which are provided in the fixed-position structures are too short to ensure adequate guidance of the module when the module is being raised out of the waterway, it has therefore not been possible up until now to use a module such as this for generation of electrical power.